During a brief ceremony held at Sacramento Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) this afternoon, Special Agent in Charge Monica M. Miller presented the 2013 Director’s Community Leadership Award to Debbie Johnson, founder of Without Permission.

“Debbie’s strength and genuine compassion for victims of human trafficking drive her tireless efforts to make a difference for victims in Stanislaus County,” said Miller. “She is committed to helping law enforcement, service providers, and the public better understand who these victims are and to work collaboratively with federal, state, and local resources to stop the cycle of victimization.”

Johnson founded the organization in 2009, and, since then, Without Permission has provided needed services and support to 45 identified victims of human trafficking and continues to provide training and outreach to the community. Without Permission also provides “bags of compassion” to the FBI and first responders that are offered to individuals who may be victims of human trafficking.

The annual award recognizes dedicated and selfless individuals and organizations that make extraordinary contributions to their communities across the United States. Each FBI field office selects one individual or organization for the award, and each award recipient is publicly recognized locally prior to the national ceremony. Award recipients come from various backgrounds and different professional fields. The issues they focus on vary greatly; however, they all have the same motivation—a desire to reach out to those in need and make their communities a safer place to live.

This spring, Johnson will travel to Washington D.C. to receive the official engraved crystal award from FBI Director James Comey during a public ceremony at FBI Headquarters.